Richard T. Simmons, Jr.

Rose Sher is a partner in the Tax Practice Group and a member of the trust and estates team. Rose is a board-certified estate planning and administration specialist, as certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. She advises clients on all aspects of wills, trusts, estate and gift tax planning, asset valuations, business succession planning, and estate administration. Rose represents a broad range of high-net-worth individuals and families. She understands the unique goals and n...

Tim Brechtel is a partner in the Tax Practice Group. He counsels employers on tax and ERISA compliance issues relating to employee retirement, health, welfare, compensation, and other plans. Tim advises clients ranging from sole proprietorships to large, multinational corporations on establishing, administering, merging, and terminating qualified defined-contribution and defined-benefit retirement plans — such as 401(k) plans and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) — and nonqua...

Joanne Rinardo defends clients in employment and constitutional claims and is best known for litigation involving Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, and Family Medical Leave Act, as well as general employment claims. Ms. Rinardo has defended 60 EEOC and/or comparable state agency charges in a tri-state area over a two-year period with no findings of “cause” issued against the client. She also advises clients ...

Kevin LaVie practices in the area of admiralty and tort. He has a very broad-based practice involving nearly all aspects of maritime law including personal injury and death claims; cargo damage claims; dock damage and collision claims; Limitation of Liability matters; charter party and related commercial disputes (including ship arrests and Rule B attachments); insurance coverage disputes; oilfield indemnity actions; pollution matters; and various Coast Guard and immigration matters. His prac...

Stephen R. Klaffky focuses his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, environmental litigation, insurance coverage and bad faith, and securities litigation and regulation. Stephen has represented financial institutions, investors, manufacturers, and employers through trial and on appeal. As lead counsel, he has successfully defended clients against allegations involving fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, lender liability, employment discrimination, and wrongful termination. He has also...

John Jerry Glas is the Chair of the Civil Litigation Department at Deutsch Kerrigan and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has tried 114 civil or criminal trials, including 76 jury trials and 38 judge trials. Jerry has been admitted pro hac vice in 11 different states and had success on both sides of the aisle. In 2021, as lead trial counsel for the plaintiff (Lindale Pipeline, LLC), Jerry obtained a $26 million verdict in Houston. In 2012, as lead trial counsel for the def...

Mr. Grace joined Blue Williams as an associate in 2002. In 2006, he was elected partner at the firm. His practice primarily consists of motor vehicle and trucking litigation, environmental and toxic tort litigation, including asbestos and benzene litigation, personal/commercial property and casualty litigation, and products liability. Mr. Grace earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. He was awarded a juris doctorate from Loyola University ...

Clients turn to Craig Caesar's trial and appellate experience for help with complex business disputes and government investigations. His decorated background of courtroom success has earned him the trust of regional and national clients in health care, manufacturing, telecommunications and financial services. He advises clients on a variety of issues, from antitrust and trade regulation matters to state and federal litigation. For nearly 20 years, Craig has served as the principal outside cou...

Brad Belsome handles matters involving transportation law, specifically within the Rail Industry. He has represented a Class I Carrier in actions brought in the State and Federal courts of Louisiana, as well as before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Court of Federal Claims, Office of Administrative Law Judges, OSHA, including: claims prosecuted pursuant to the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), 45 U.S.C. § 51 et seq. (1908), the Federal Rail Safety Act (FRS...

Jim Stuckey practices in the areas of commercial finance, real estate, business, project financing, and leasing. His commercial experience includes complex loan transactions in real estate, construction, project finance, oil and gas, line of credit and asset based loans, as well as leveraged lease and utility securitization financings, and real estate and commercial transactions. His lending practice includes representing lenders and borrowers in oil and gas loans, real estate and constructio...